Knitting-machine needle.



F. POPE L E.' RANDALL KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE.' l APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7. ISIS.`

2 SHEES-SHEET I.

I Inventors.; f' FYQWI( pape? Edinundaj v l byzmwswm, A v "Aysr l Panted 0st. 2,1917.V f

F. POPE (ILSE. E. RANDALL.

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE. v

APPLICATION FILED DEC. |915.

` Patented Oct?, 1817.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I Fig. /da n". B6

1 I Invenors. .Y

kFsfrmIf Pape Idson El. Randa, WMVM f Needles', of which/the following description,

riNrinD sinins .PATENT/crimen. y

`FRANK Porn AND nDisoN. n. RANDALL, or ,KANKAKEN iLLiNois, AssiGNons 'ro rAiaAivioUN'r-KNITTING coirrANY, or iLLiNois.v

Larissa.

1'0 all 'whom 'it may concern l' .Be it 'known that We, FRANK Porn and- EDisoN E. RANDALL, both citizens of the United States, residing at Kankakee, county 'of Kankakee, State of Illinois, have invent ed an Improi/'ementv inI-KnittingMachine in connection with the accompanying `dravving, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representin like parts. f

.Thisinvention re ates to a knitting machine, and particularly lto'fthe needle and 4the means for operating it, and more par` ticularly to the type of .mechanism made the subject of! our Patent No. 1,096,946k

lgranted May 19, 1914 wherein the needle comprises ahook member and a latch meinbei physically independent and separate i from cach other, although co-acting to perform the required knitting functions. The Iobject of the invention is toprovide in a machine of this type a construction 'in which the movement or' the needle members vwill be secured with accuracy and* with a` minimum amount of Wea.y y

While this type of mach'ne` and needle is suitable for a Wide rai'ige of use infvaiious kinds of knitting machines, including `both the cylinder and tlie-'dial of circular knit- 30' ting machines, ithas aj peculiar value in the dial of a. circular machine because it enables the' finest class ctworkto be performed.

In ribbed knitting, for eXample,.in the y knitting ol stockings, the dial needles are l needles.

supported in -a circularf'course inside of thev circular path of the cylinder needles.l Hence the number of dial lneedles `which can. loeI limited, the main ylimitations of its movement necessary to enableit to perform loopingfunction. and thers'pace availableufy'or the innerv tail ends 01E the The; construction illustrated in ouvriprior PatentNo. 1,096,94f5 ydisclosed as a specific r'smb/odiment of therv inventionv latch member having its shanlr bent so as thereby to riproduce the necessary vfriction in the` slot. `*for the latch member,

This was essentiallyan unsymmetricalarrangement and under usual conditions wouldl cause the laterally /contactingparts ofthe lioolrand latch meniv bei' to Wear materially.

lt is the more si'iecilic object of the preseirt mm-nriem to provide a kconstruction in which Q specification of Letters Patent. Appncamn inea Deemiie 7, i915. serial No. 65,602.

fmembersof the needlefreely; easilyv'and# With a minimum amount .of Wear. i

`thus free to conform tothe-'longitudinal though, it willgbe understood that the lin-` preferred `embodied therein;

. vention; .f/

KNi'iriNGMAoi-iinii NEEDLE. i

ratemed'oct. 2,1917t f thela'tch -member shall movedn the salme,Y i longitudinal plane 4as the hook membenan' be subject to no inuencematerially tendingv 1 to deflect-it from this relation and thus-shall r insure the coperative'movement of thetwo 60 Another object of. the inventibn vtto:

videL a construction inwhicli- ,heoiiter 'r "I l head `end of the latch membertilsout oi'icoiby l tact of the side Walls-of'its groove, and i'sx path of movement of thehook member. f These and other objects of the invention Will appear more fully from the accoinpaifiy` 70 ing description and drawings; and will be, particularly pointed out inthe appended?,-V claims. f f j |l The drawings illustratesomuch of a dialf. f of a circular knitting machine as is necessary toV a disclosure of this invention` al.

vention'is not to be limited to the particular type of knitting machinefnor to the particular, part of the knitting machine, but may bV employed Wherever 'knitting machine ne' dles;` arefused.. In the drawings, c y

Fig/tire 1 is a central vertical oss se 'ion l of a y.portion of anfeedle dial of, an or' 'nary type of circular knitting -machine` 'with 'a form cnf-thev present intention y Fig. 2 isa top plan vievv enlarged aste diameter and greatly `exaggerat,ed circiim# ferentially of portion ofthe needle bfedf, x constructed as shown in Fig. 1; f .f

Fig'. 3 is a view similar` oy Fig. 2 showing a slightly diierent y nstruction embody`l` ino-y the invention; v l! y y, i c. ig. 4 is a vien, milarI` to Figi show; ing a third construction"embodying the Fig. 45 is a top plan view enlarged andexaggerated as in Fig.` 2 of t ortion i the 1 needle bed shown in Fig.,lv la y and latchgrooves have'been, formed;

Fig. 6 is a view similariytollFi 5 afte the structure hasV been completean .y needles 4are in place.` 105 .It is unnecessary to describe any portion ,i ofl a knitting machine except that portion? directly` adjacent the needles ,because.Yr-thev4 general structure of the knitting-tmach'` \e orf theparticular type thereofforms no ofl'lo'f n '.Az.; VL.

errthe needle y Z 'Q i f d 1,241,882

the.` present invention. The invention is vsults in the re uired movements of the hook A herein shown as applied to the dial of a" cirand latch mem ers'to securezthe proper han- Y cular knitting machine and certa-in terms of dlin'go the yarn. There is thus obtained positionand direction are used 'herein berelative` longitudinal and transversebodily cause of that fact, but the invention is apmovements of the said needle members to 70 '.plicable to other types of knitting machinesA e'iiectA their cooperative action. t and to constructions in .which the needles TheA needle members are mounted and o move in other than horizontal and radialI Aerate in superimposed grooves formed int e Y paths, and in its broader aspects'theY invenneedlebed and in the case of the dial these tion isthusto be construed. l i grooves extend radially. The upper groove 75 1 In'ithe construction illustrated, and refe'rcarries the hook member and the lower ringzrst tothat embodiment ofthe invengroove thel latch member. tin' illustrated nFgS. 1 `and 2, theusual In Fi 2 the radial dimensions are much stud'l carries 'the needle bed- 2 in whichthe 'enlarge'over Fig. l which is itself much 175 needles are mounted. and operate.4 Thecam larger in dimensions than the ordinary or 30 member is shown as consistingof two consmaller sizesv of machines. Furthermore, in centric parts' 3 andbetween ,which` is order to illustrate the ,inv Vntion clearly the `formed the usual cam groove 5l forreceivmg dimensions circumferentiallyof the dial are the butts ofthe needles and securing their very greatly exaggerated as will be recogoperation, 1. 11." 4 nized when it is remembered that the gage 35 Th needles are of the type shown 1n our `or Width over all of line needles is measured prior Patent No.` 1,096,946 and each co1nby the thousandths of an inch. prises a hook member 6 and alatch member The upper groove 16 for the hook member 7. Thehook member has a generally simi-` extends .radially through the section 17 of 'lar form to the corresponding member of'the 'the needle bed and is of just suiiicient Width 90 ordinary pivoted latch needle andcomprises to enable the hook member to move freely the hook 8, the shank 9. andthe butt 10. therein. The groove 18 for the latch mem- The shank and` butt maybe. of "varying ber extends beneath and parallel with the length and shape, but inthe case of-,thedial' groove 16 for the hook memberand extends 130 needle and especially where tine workfis. t0 throughthe section 17 of the needle bedand 95 'be performed the extreme length ofthe hook the inner concentric section 19,y i'n botli secf member is made as small as possible and-the tions lying beneath the groove 16. This gage of the neelleasffinepaspossible. "The latchO Agroove 18 is of materially greater shank need not roject beyond .the butt and width than the latch member 7, bem shown the buttlmay be rought close up toward the as somewhat more than twice the ivi th, and 10o hook end, orjih fact close .u 'pA tothe `slotl in is of materially less width than the `groove t the hoolgy member through. WhichL the llatch 16 for .the hook member so' as to present in memboperats, thns malingan eir'tremely the Section 1,7 of the needle bed shoulders 20 short needlek havmg tke y mmlmum thi-ovvt and 21to support the hook member 9. 40 The hook nibmber'of-t 1s' type of needle '1s Means are provided independent of'the 105 Slotteait lflalld ihS 5101i S prefelbly gladeV latch member to 'pressthe tail of the shank in the form of a saw korf lpresentingend l5 against one wall of the latch member 'W3-11S 12 and 13- The ,lilthmembl' 1S Pleff groovesol as to secure there uired frictional erably made othinsheet metal of a thi'clrretardation of the latch me ber, but leave ness such as vvlllallovvb 1t' tomovey kreadlly the head thereof free to move .centrally loffllo within the slot lland comprises a head 14 the hook member andin alinement with the and a `Shalkl "The latch member 1S prO- hook member. This means is preferably a vided with cam surfaces at the -Qiear' and Hat thin leaf spring 22 having n, lateral front of the headcoperating respectivelyk bend 23and an upward projection 24 at its with the Walls 12and 1301i the slot iiithe; inner forrearend. This spring is compara- 115 hook member. l tively short in length and when Vplaced in The shank of thelatch memberI the groove vfor the latch member presses the tionally engaged so as to secure retardation tail of the shank of the latchmember against ofthe latch membery againstlongitudinalV theV wall yof the groove. But as the latch 55. movement. except when `1t 1s positively member is comparatively long and resilient 120 moved bythe inovement'of the hookmember it is (thus free for the mam portion of its thus insuring thefga'ccurate operation of the length. and is thus permitted to remain cenneedle'.` The end Walls 12 and 134 of the-slot trally of the hook member with its head prothe hook member and the coperating cam jecting through the slot in the hook member sui-faces on the head of the latch member are and moving in alinement therewith so that 125 Sfjshaped andproportloned in accordance there is' no wear onthe parts. In thecom. with lthe'general prmclples. set forth in our struction illustrated in Fig. 2 this result is k priorljlatent ll'o. 1,096,946 that the movesecured with exact acc ment of' the hook member longitudinally groove for the latch member both in its inunder the control of its operatingv cam rener` section 19 and its o y groove for ferential groove fitting over the lpositioned that one lside Wall lies ina plaine parallel" With the side Walls of the` thefhook member and at a disylance to v'one sided the medial plane thereof equal to one-half the thickness of the latch r4member so that when the latch member is held against theinner section of its groove the latch member Will meve exactly central of the hook `member and parallel therewith.

` The sprimgfsy 22 are4 held in position in any suitable manner and for that purpose a cap 26 is illustrated provided., vwith a circum-v projection- 24e. This capr is located ,concentric of the` stud l and preferably is so positi%ied as to leave a spa`ce27 between itl and dinner- 'inostconcentrici section 28 of the needle bed into which space lint andA dust may work during theoperation ofthe needles without clogging the needles and fromjivhich it Imay be readily removed.k

`The substantial advantages,` ofthe invention may also'be secured especiallyin the liner gages `of needles even `when 'there are" slight departures from the ytlli'eoretical accuracies'of construction illustrated in Fig. 2.L For example,"= as illustrated ",in Fig.r 3 the l groove 29, 30 for the latch member may be' cut parallel with but centrallyl of the groove 16 for thehookinember thus?, leaving the case when the bent yspring 33 isf inserted to press the tail ofthejfshank- 15 offthe latch' member against vone wall of.` itsfgroove the latchV memberl Will'fh/aveto bend ilaterally to a very slightl extent in order thatl its head 14 may move-centrally-fand'in-aliileinent with f the hook member? 6, but SithiS lndihevefthe latch member ris-iieryfslight .no substan; -tial ivear'willfbe produced between the 'hook and latch members landl the 'latchHmember will be free.throughoutthe main fypoition of its length easily to assume correcty-, posii sary' to'call attent-ign secured while'ia read-yffmeth? ence.r

' n this' form the inner. concentric section of the needlebed-` is made as a separate part i vand parallel with' the; groove 36 ber andflatchf-memb'er the groove 36 for Fig.'-,5. Thenlthe screw 35 is .and thejimier l'section 34 of the`i1eedle bed neath and parallel With the hook memberfflc Sli-secured in place'as by a set screw 35. Iii constructing the grooves for the'hjook mem-I thel hook fme'mberfis first cut aiidithenl thejgroove f 37 fbi' ther latch-member is cut centrally Vof throug" l shown in l/o'osened up both' sections offthe needle bed te be negiigibie.

shifted circumferentially until theinner sec*- tionr38 of the latch member groove is odset from the outer section to such an extent as to present one Wall, as 39, at a distanceto one' side of the medial plane of the hook 70 member groove 36 equal to one-"half the thickness of the latchV member shank, as shown in Fig".` 6. In this case the bent leaf springl l0 is entirely located in `the inner secI tion 38 of the latch me-mber groove and acts 75 l topress thetail of the shank 15- of the latch member 7 against the Wall 39, thus `securing i the desired friction-al retardation of the: A

latclrmember" and enabling the head ofthe latch member-tomove centrally oi" and inr alinement with the hook member. l/Vhen the innei` section 84 is thus shifted to the required position it is secured in place as byk pinfsll, and the set screii7 35vis tightened up.v This-construction leaves Athe shoulders 42, 85 4:3, upom which' the'hook member rests, 'of 7 equal Width. When the inner section 3,4: of

the needle bed isshii'ted theziiiner section' 3 8 l tionbut the dierence'is so infiinitesimal as :Having fully7 described our invention', what weclaim as new and desire tosecurey by Lettersv Patent isz.- l y In awknittingmachine a needle come, prising a vlongitudinally slottedhook inemi ber, a separate latch member provided'wi'th i ashank and with a head passing through the slotjof the hook member, means for se V 100 curing relative, longitudinal and transverse bodily movements `ot" said members to effect i j the vcoperative action of the hool andfly` tch, a needle bed., provided ,with s/peiiiiiposed grooves for said -members, the latch .i embei: groove being of materiallyy greater Width than the klatch member a Y, i lessl ividtlifthan and extending beneath and parallel with the hook member groove; and means independent of the latch member act-k de from alll t0 Dress the -tail of its shank against one Wall of its groove whereby the required f fiiictional retardation .of the latch member v is secured While theheadf thereof'is central of andipoves in alinement with the khoolrll memb f er. i f

a knitting machine, a needlecom-v prising a longitudinally slotted hook, inem` ber; a separatelatch member provided with i a shank and-f with a head passing-through,

theslot the hook memben'ineans for secu-'ring relative, longitudinal and trans verse bodily niovementsfof said 'members to f effect the coperative action off tli'e hook andk latch, a. needle bed provided With superin- `125 posed' grooves for said members, thejlateh member groove being of materially greater i Width than the latch member and oi'fl materially` less width than and. extending be of materially of the latch member groove will not be inA j i mathematical parallelism with the outersec- 90 member.

tardation'of the latch y groove, and i, a

"grooves for said members,

spring located in the latch er groove separate `from the' latch member and acting to press the Ytail ofthe shank of the latch x of its groove,I whereby the required fric-,I tional` retardationof the latch member is memb secured while the head thereof is centralof y and moves in alinement with `thel hook n 3. In a knittinfr machine la needle,v com- `prising a longitudinally slotted f hook memy ber, a separate latch member provided with y a shank and with ahead passing through the slot of the hook member, means for securing relative, longitudinal and transverse bodily movements of said members to effect the cooperative action ofthe hook andlatch, a needle bed provided with superimposed the latch' member groove being of materially greater width than the latchmember and of materially less width than and extending beneath'and parallel with the hook member cove,A and a spring device located in the lr groove separate from the latch member and acting to secure the' required frictional rethereof is central of'and movesin alinement with the hook member.y v -f A 4. In a'knitting machine a.' needle comprising a longitudinally slotted hookmember, .a separate latch member provided with shank and with a movements of saidlmem needle. bed provided .groovesfor said members, the latch mem-L i a shank and Iwith ahead section,

passing through the slotof the hookmember, means for securing relative, longitudinal and transverse bodily movements of said membersto effect the c0- `operative action of the' 'hookqan'dlatcha needle bed provided fwith superimposed grooves for said members,the;latch member `groove presentingan inner and an outer .sec-- tron, one side wall of the inner section lying 1n a plane substantially parallel with the sidewalls of the Outer section and at laf dis-1v tanceto one.; side the medial -pl'ane thereof equal to one-half the thickness of the latch` member shank, and means a frictional engagement between said wall of the inner section and said shankwherebythe required frictional retardation of the latch member is secured central and moves hook memberg 5. Inalmitting ing a longitudinally `slotted hook i separate latch member provided with aj u head passing through'thje slot of the hook-member, means for-securing relative, longitudinal and transverse bodilyf y ers to ,'il'ecttheco--V of the hookand latch, a"I Vvvith superimposed,

machine needle comprisk operative action and an outef.. inner section 'parallel with ber groove presenting an inner one side wall ofthe lying 1n a plane substantially `memb'eshank, anda member againstone wall latchmemberegroove and acting to hold "the atch kmember` .in a plane substantially member while'the head i a alinement with the hook member; machine a needle com' for' maintaining* .radiallyfof said bed,

While the head vvthereof is in alinement with the tionxr a distance member, a' f the *inner secti to holdjthe latch member in frictional engagement with thereof is 'central of, and

equal to .one-half the thickness ofl the latch spring located l in the latch member 1n frictional engagement with the -said Iside walls whereby the required frictional retardation of the latch member is secured whilethe head thereof is central of nd moves in alinementwith the hook mem- 6. In a knitting-machine a needle coml prising ay longitudinally slotted hook memer,"l a separate latch member provided with a sliankind with a head'passingA through the slot of the hook member, means for securing relative, longitudinal andt transverse bodlly movements of said members to effect the coperative action of thehook and latch, with superimposed a`needle bed provided' groovesfor said members, the latchzmember groove presenting an inner tion, one side wall ofthe inner section lying parallel 'with the 'side walls of the outer section and ata distance to' one V-side the medial plane lthereof equaltowone-half the-thickness of the'latch member shank, and a lisent rleaf spring located inthe latch member' groove contacting l,

with land acting tohold the latch member in yfrictional.` engagement and anfouter sec# l with the said side wall whereby the required frictional rctari' dation ofthe latch member issecured while i the head-thereojis central of and Inra yknitting prising a longitudinally slotted hook ymember. a lseparate latch member "prqyided with a. shankfand with Aa heady the slotofthe'hook member, means for securing relative, longitudinaluand transverse odily movements of said membersgto eilect moves inv lolo passing through the coperative action of the hook `and latch, a circular nee'dle'bedl comprisijng inner and outer concentric grooves 'for said members formed;l in and sections, superimposed latch member extendingintoboth? sections I,

of thene'edle bed with that portion of the salidgroovefinthe inner section oilset lat` erally' to pre t one of itssidewalls to joue side-ofthe-gdial plane ofthe outer Secequal to one-half the thickness of theflatch member, a springfrotated in n of the inner grooveacting prising a longitudinally slotted hook member, a separate latch member provided with a shank and with a head passing throughthe -slot of the hook member, means for securing relative, longitudinal and transverse bodily movements of said members'to effect the co operative action of the hook and latch, a circular needle bed comprising inner and outer concentric sections, superimposed grooves for said inembers formed in and radially of said bed. the groove for the latch member extending into both sections.

ofthe needle bed with that portion oit' the said groove in the inner section oti'set laterally to present one ot' its side walls to one side of the medial planeof the outer section adistance equal to one-half the thickness ol the latch member, a bent leaf spring located in the inner section of said groove contacting with and act-ing to press the latch member in frietional engagement with the said side walls whereby the required frictional retardation of the latch member is secured while the head thereof is central ot andmoves in alinement with the hook member. l

9. In a. knitting machine a needle coinprising a longitudinally slotted hook memer, a separate latch member provided with a shan-k and with a head passing through the slot of the book member, means ior securing relative, longitudinal and transverse bodilymovements of said members to ei'ect the coperative action ot the hook and latch, a circular needle bed comprising inner and outer concentric sections, superimposed grooves for said members formed in and radially ot' said bed, the groove for the la'tch member extending into'both sections of the needlejbed with thatportion of the said groove in the inner sectionotl'set laterally vto present one of its side walls to one' side of the medial plane ot' the outer-sed tion a distanceequal to one-'half the thickness of the latch member, a bent leatl spring located in the inner section of said groove contacting with and acting to press the latch i, prising a longitudinally slotted hook member, a separate latch member provided with a shank and With a head passing through the slot of the hook member, means for securingv relative, longitudinal and transverse bodily movements of said members to effect the cooperative action of the hook and latch, and means "for frictionally engaging the shank of the latch member and maintaining the head of the latch member central of and in alinement with the hook member 'during the cooperative movement of the hook and latch members.

l1. In a knitting machine a needle comn'ising a longitudinally slotted hook mem'- er, a separate latch member provided with a shank and with a head passing through the. slot of the hook member, means for securing relative, longitudinal and transverse bodily movements ofsaid members to eie'ct the cooperative action of the hook and latch, a needle bed provided withsuperimposedV grooves for said members, and a separate' spring acting to frictionally engage the shank of the latch member with the inner section of its groove and maintain the head of the latch member central of and in alinement with the hook member during the coa operative movement of the hook and latch needle bed, means for securing the inner section of the Vneedle bed in circumferential displacement With respect-to the outer section of the needle bed to cause the latch member to project inand move centrally of that section of its groove in the outer section of `the needle bed, and means located in the inner section of the latch member groove acting to hol-'d the latch member in fricy tional engagement With one of the side Walls e5 member extendinginto both sections of the l ot its groove whereby the required frictional retardation of the latch member is secured.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

rinnvkl Porn. i smsen E. RANDALL. 

